It may be lighter than before but the GB seem to have more control than ever. Try openly questioning them and see how light it really is.
I admit that the social aspect is one thing I sometimes miss but the reality is that you can make friends in a lot of places. Making friends in non-religious groups is probably more real because of genuine shared interests- not forced interests.
Having lived for more than a few decades now I can honestly say that friends are over-rated. My opinion is that it's better to have a few acquaintances that don't intrude in your life but you can count on.